The Los Angeles Kings were hoping to get an extension done with defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov before free agency opened on July 1.
Not gonna happen, GM Ken Holland told reporters on Saturday.
That means Gavrikov will hit the open market as the best defense-minded defenseman out there.
The Athletic’s James Mirtle projected earlier in the offseason that Gavrikov would get seven years with $8.5 million per year in free agency.
The Daily Faceoff’s Mark Larkin recently predicted Gavrikov will go to the Rangers.
“(Aaron) Ekblad might feel like the bigger star and thus the top UFA defenseman available, but Gavrikov is probably the best,” Larkin writes. “While he’ll never be much of an offensive threat, he has emerged as one of the game’s elite shutdown stoppers at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. Particularly because Ryan Lindgren’s game eroded leading up to trading him, the Blueshirts badly need a long-term replacement to play on Adam Fox’s left side.”
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The 29-year old Gavrikov averaged 23:05 in ice time in 2024-25, a career high.
He put up five goals and 25 assists in 82 games in 2024-25.
In 435 career games, Gavrikov has 29 goals and 106 assists.
He’ll turn 30 on Nov. 21. But someone is likely going to pay him.
Will it be the Kings once proceedings reach free agency? Or will it be any other team?
Stay tuned on this one. His destination will get a lot better defensively overnight.
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